Little Life Lists

Personal growth, reaching for the stars and having fun are things that I feel are very important for me to teach my boys. I’ve been pushing myself to try new things, branch out, learn more and enjoy life a lot over the past five years through making my own annual “to do” lists, and I’ve been trying to incorporate friends and family into these adventures as much as I possibly can. I always have heard that the best way to teach is by example, and I’m trying to set the best example I can.

Last year I started getting Tarquin in on some of the goal making fun. It was difficult at first. He didn’t believe me when I said, “Tell me anything and everything you’d like to do in the world, and I’ll do my best to help you get there.” For some unknown reason, he had little faith in me. So I told him, “Let’s start out with an adventure for just me and you. Let’s go pet a penguin!” His disbelief was great, but after a long weekend in Chicago his doubting days are mostly over.

Now he’s onto his own goals. First was to ride a camel.

Next is to meet a “real live ninja in his ninja outfit” and for us to sit down to work on more goals he thinks he’d might like to do, learn, and explore. I can’t wait to do this with Harrison as he gets older as well, because as there is no greater parental joy I’ve found than seeing one of my boys’ eyes light up at their craziest, silliest dreams coming true; it’s more important that they know I’m behind them 100% and that they can reach the stars if they want to.